News Releases

As part of the Saskatoon Extreme Heat & Air Quality Emergency Response Plan, all spray pads hours have been extended to 10:00 p.m. starting Friday, August 1 until Monday, August 4. Spray pads open daily at 10:00 a.m.

Visit saskatoon.ca/spraypads for a list of locations. Information about the Saskatoon Extreme Heat & Air Quality Emergency Response Plan can be found at saskatoon.ca/heat.

City Council has finalized key details of the Link rapid transit route along College Drive with approval to remove the above-street pedestrian overpass along the route as it no longer meets accessibility standards, with a street-level accessible crosswalk taking its place. The current crosswalk at Bottomley Avenue further west will also be removed for better traffic flow.

Council approved the finalized concept plan in June with just the question about the pedestrian crosswalk remaining for the July meeting. Link remains on course to launch city-wide service in 2028.

“College Drive plays a crucial role in the Link network—it serves as a major corridor for residents, students and workers traveling across Saskatoon,” says Terry Schmidt, General Manager, Transportation and Construction Division. “In 2025 we are on track to build approximately 44 station platforms city-wide, expanding significantly from the six built last year. With the College corridor concept plan now finalized we can look at beginning to work on College Drive in 2026.”

The dedicated centre running rapid transit lanes for Link on College Drive and 1st Avenue were approved by Council in 2019, following extensive public consultation and technical development. With upgrades to the College Drive corridor slated to begin next year, the Link team will continue work to finalize the concept plan for the 1^st Avenue corridor from 19^th Street to 25^th Street, with detailed design and tenders for the work to follow. Work on the design of the 1^st Avenue corridor is currently ongoing, and it is anticipated that public and stakeholder information sessions for the concept plan will take place this autumn, with a report to City Council planned for late 2025 or early 2026.

“The majority of the funding for Link—over 73 per cent—is being provided by the Province of Saskatchewan and the Government of Canada,” Schmidt adds. “Once complete, this system will transform transit in Saskatoon by offering more frequent, efficient and reliable service across the city.”

For more information on Link and how it will transform transit in Saskatoon, please visit saskatoon.ca/link.

A person has been sent to hospital with injuries after an incident where their legs were reportedly run over by a garbage truck. It happened around 10 a.m. in an alleyway adjacent to Avenue I and south of 22nd Street.

“Our thoughts are with this individual and their loved ones right now,” says Angela Gardiner, General Manager of Utilities and Environment.

The alley in this location is configured with a 90-degree sharp turn to the left. Initial information is an individual was lying to the side of the laneway near the left corner of the turn, near a power box and not visible to the truck operator. Garbage trucks have a right-hand driver’s seat and steering wheel to allow the operator a better view for collecting and tipping bins on the right-hand side of the truck.

Water and Waste Operations managers were on scene to provide support to the operator and to cooperate with the Police investigation. No charges have been laid.

City Council approved several significant changes to its Business Licence Bylaw regarding the sale of bear spray, aiming to reduce its misuse, particularly among youth. These changes affect all businesses that sell bear spray and will be enforced starting July 30, 2025.

Key changes to the bylaw include:

• Mandatory buyer registry:
  • Record buyer’s name, address, phone number, date of birth
  • Collect two pieces of ID (one with a photo)
  • Document product details (manufacturer, model, serial number, etc.)
  • Record date, time, and employee name who completed the sale
  • Keep records for at least two years
• Age restrictions:
  • Buyers and sellers must be 18 years or older
  • No sales to anyone who fails to properly identify themselves
• Storage and product requirements:
  • Bear spray must be stored out of public view
  • Only unmodified, clearly labeled products may be sold
• Enforcement:
  • Non-compliant businesses may face fines, suspension, or loss of licence

“Bear spray incidents in Saskatoon have more than doubled in recent years with youth-related offences increasing by over 500% since 2021.” says Mark Wilson, Licensing and Permitting Manager. “These changes are intended to reduce the availability of the product to minors, reduce the number of bear spray incidents and provide records that could assist in an investigation.”

The bylaw has been formally adopted as of July 30, 2025. Businesses known to the City of Saskatoon and Saskatoon Police Service to sell bear spray have been notified of the changes and their obligations under the bylaw. We would like to thank these businesses for their support, and for the voluntary efforts undertaken by large format sporting goods stores to check for identification prior to the bylaw coming into force.

For more information please visit saskatoon.ca/start-business